Gunned Down
by Rachael Rothman
Summary: Arthur's older brother is under suspicion of betraying the Police Force and being in cahoots with the Mafia. Together, Antonio and Ivan join Arthur in his quest to discover the true criminal mastermind. A dark adventure has begun. RUUK, Spamano.
1. Chapter 1

**Otaku's Note: **Wow! Two new series in one day! I'm gonna get myself killed or something. Hahaha.

**Warning(s): **Violence, and dark secrets. Character deaths later on~

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><p><strong>Gunned Down<br>**A series by Otakusama Rengette

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><p>His patrol was over, and he was <em>finally<em> free to leave the station.

Arthur undid his tie quickly, sighing in relief as he felt the refreshing cool air circulate around his neck. It had been alright to wear his uniform in England's much colder climate, but he was now in America, on an 'exchange program' to improve national security between the two nations.

"Arthur. General Beilschmidt wants to see you in his office. He says it's pretty important."

Turning to look at Madam Elizaveta – his superior officer – Arthur nodded and changed course for the General's office. What could Ludwig Beilschmidt possibly want to talk about?

The elevator doors opened and Arthur got out on the thirtieth floor to the building. He knocked on the oak doors three times and waited for a confirmation to enter.

"Come in, Kirkland."

And there was his cue. Arthur pushed open the right door and walked into the office, shutting it again behind him. Surprised, Arthur saw that there were two other men in the room besides himself and General Ludwig Weilschmidt.

"Take a seat, Arthur. Let me introduce you - this is Roderich Edelstein, head of the Department of Communications," Ludwig pointed to a stern looking man with a pair of frameless glasses and a small mole on his face. "And this is Wang Yao. He's another exchange officer like you, and he is also in charge of International Security relations between China and Europe."

Arthur nodded, still not understanding why he was meeting these important men.

"It involves your brother, Scott Kirkland. You are aware that he was sent on an undercover mission a few months ago to catch a group of Mafia Gang members, _ja_?"

Sitting upright, Arthur began to feel a cold fear settle in his chest. It couldn't possibly be bad news, could it? Scott was only twenty-nine. Three years older than him.

"We suspect that he has been in cahoots with the Mafia- that he betrayed us. Roderich has showed me the last phone call between Scott and the Mafia leader. We have reason to _not_ doubt that he is guilty. He had been giving out top secret information about the force. And we need your help in locating him."

The Briton gripped the edge of his chair tightly.

What the _bloody hell_ was Ludwig going on about? Scott would _never_ do something like that… not without good reason anyway.

He was a good person; always looking out for Arthur and his other brothers no matter how much he teased him, and helping people in need, even if they were total strangers.

Scott and Arthur both joined the Royal Police force in London to help make the city a safer place for future generations- and also Scott's child that was on the way. He and Lydia were expecting a beautiful baby boy, and Arthur couldn't be happier for the both of them.

So, why? _Why_ would Scott give out top-secret information? He knew how serious this was, from the way Ludwig had said it.

"… Kirkland? Arthur?" Ludwig snapped his fingers in Arthur's face, jolting him out of his thoughts. "Do you have any idea on where your brother might be?"

No, Arthur sincerely did not.

... Did he? He couldn't think straight. And right then- he remembered his brother saying something about going to New Jersey to 'meet a friend' during their last phone call about two weeks ago.

But no. He wouldn't help them. Criminal or not, Scott was his brother. And Arthur had _never_ betrayed any one of his brothers or his by telling on them; even that time Ian (the second oldest) threw a party during the weekend and forced Arthur and Peter (the youngest) to clean up the remains of the mess.

"… I don't have any idea where he is, sir." Arthur said resolutely, looking Ludwig straight in the eye.

But his hands were gripping the chair so tight- his knuckles made cracking noises even when he adjusted himself in the slightest. The General and his companions were not convinced.

"Aiya, why are you lying to us? Even if he is your _Ge_, you should know that your loyalty is always first to the Police, aru! You are a police officer yourself! They taught you that in training camp, _dui bu dui_? To never lie to your superiors!" Yao said, pointing a finger in Arthur's face.

"I'm not lying! I'm really not." Arthur said, trying desperately to soothe his nerves.

Roderich's eyebrow twitched and he abruptly stood up from his seat, the chair he was sitting on falling over onto the floor.

"I will give you three days to think about this, Mr Kirkland. You will be off duty during this period. But if you fail to demonstrate to us where your loyalties _should_ lie by the end of those three days, then you will be dismissed as an officer _effective immediately_."

And then they left, leaving Arthur alone in the big, cold room. He suddenly felt suffocated, and he licked his lips to prevent them from drying any further.

"Scott… _where are you_?"

oOo

Ignoring the whispers and glares he was given by the other members of the force (damn Yanks, those Americans were), the blonde fastened the zipper of his jacket and slung his backpack over his shoulder, walking out of the station quickly.

And before he could blink, a tall man got into his path and stopped him from moving.

"Tell me where Scott Kirkland is." He stated.

Arthur scrutinized the man. He had brown hair, a Spanish looking face and accent, and a shaggy aura about him, like he was tired. This must be the famous Antonio Fernandez. Bah, Arthur needn't bother with a loser like him.

Brushing the Spaniard aside, Arthur continued his way home (Antonio was still following him though). Just as Arthur was about to turn around and yell at the git, another figure popped up from behind him and captured his shoulder in a stern grip.

"You will tell me where your brother is, _da_?"

Arthur could have peed his pants at the sound of that creepy voice; the voice that _everyone_ feared. Even the higher ups, who were known- ... _supposed_ to be fearless individuals.

That voice belonged to Ivan Braginski.

"… E-Excuse me." Arthur brushed past the tall Russian immigrant, and quickened his pace. He probably shouldn't risk going home for the moment- he didn't want these two men to find out where he actually _lived_. Because Scott lived with him too, up until the undercover mission he received forced him away from home.

And he didn't want the two of them messing with his brother's personal belongings.

Making a sharp turn right, Arthur turned into a street and down some stairs to an entrance of a restaurant. It was named '_Trés Bien_'. Good god. Of all the restaurants to randomly walk into; it just HAD to be a French one.

Sighing, Arthur thanked a waitress that had seated him… and the two other men following him at a table near the window.

"I did not know that you liked French food, Arthur. I thought that all the British hated French food, _da_?" Ivan said, browsing through the menu, and yet observing Arthur over the rim of the it at the same time.

"… Please leave me alone." The latter replied.

Antonio frowned and squinted at the menu, not understanding a word of it (it was in French), while Ivan laughed at nothing. Arthur then knew he was being ignored, and they weren't going to leave until he told them of his brother's whereabouts.

Maybe he had to use a different tactic. It would be risky, but still better than having them follow him around forever.

"I know who the two of you are," Arthur began, capturing the attention of the two other officers at the table. "You are Antonio Fernandez. You failed your mission to capture a bunch of bank-robbers three years ago and got five innocent people killed, including your now dead lover. You want revenge from the Mafia who did it, which is the same one my brother was supposed to infiltrate." Arthur said, looking Antonio straight in the eye.

The Spaniard appeared angry at first, but then his body released all tension, and he slumped back in his seat, admitting defeat.

"And you," Arthur directed his glance onto the Russian's cheerful and innocently childish face, hesitating a little before he continued- but with new determination. "You are Ivan Braginski; the Forensic Scientist who killed your superior for saying you _couldn't wear a scarf during work_. They couldn't arrest you because you were a representative of the Russian National Security force, but you were still removed from the Forensics department and you became a normal patrol officer."

Ivan was not affected by Arthur's speech. Instead, he started to laugh again, this time with a darker feel to it.

"You are very well informed, _da_? I think I made the right choice in looking for you. Now you will tell me everything you know." It was a command, not a request from the way Ivan said it.

"Hey, I got to him first! That gives _me_ the right to question him!" Antonio protested. Ivan smiled creepily again but before he could say anything else, a crash came from the glass balcony just next to their place on the ground level of the restaurant.

"Oh, _s'il vous plait_! Take your fight outside, _oui_? Not in my _magnifique_ restaurant!" A French-accented voice cried. Arthur's huge eyebrows furrowed together in reflex.

The next thing Arthur saw was glass- and a blonde man fell through the once clear glass lining the balcony and landed _smack_ on the officers' table.

"Ugh… _Merci_ for the catch…" And the Frenchman mumbled, (presumably the owner of the restaurant) and passed out. His staff came and carried him out of the restaurant, crying "_Francis! Francis, wake up_!" in French over and over again.

Arthur hoped the Frog would be fine. Maybe a few bruises would do him some good. But fine, all the same. Then he looked up to the balconey. An arrogant looking gangster stood overlooking the restaurant, a woman with huge... _assets_, stood next to him.

The man had raven black hair and some stubble, while the woman had on a skimpy dress and long red hair.

"Mind your own business, fucker! Stay outta my way!" The man yelled in the direction of where the owner had disappeared with his staff, while his men cheered.

Arthur growled, and stood up, heading for the stairs. Antonio and Ivan made no move to help, and remained seated, eyes on the Brit. The gang members stared at him, chuckling and nudging one another.

Arthur wasn't fazed- he marched right up to the leader.

"Excuse me," Arthur held out his ID right in the man's face. "Police. You're coming down to the precinct with me." He said firmly. A moment of silence, then the whole gang burst out laughing.

"Hahaha! You wanna take me to where? You're funny!" The gang leader said, wiping tears from his eyes. "You're funny, now get outta my sight before I hurt ya, kid."

Arthur bristled. "I'm not going anywhere until you come with me! I'm arresting you for assault and disobedience to a police officer's orders."

The gang leader grunted, and snapped his fingers. Three men went up to Arthur, and raised their fists, posed to strike. Arthur knocked the three of them back with one clean arch of the leg.

They fell back- but the others came back for more.

Now, the Brit and his brother had taken several martial arts classes when they were young- an early preparation for joining the police force. Arthur beat them off easily, their moves sloppy and ungraceful.

The problem though, was the number of people; Arthur was running out of energy fast.

And the one man caught him off guard, smashing a bottle on Arthur's head. In reflex, Arthur clutched his head in pain, and got a mighty blow to the chest, causing him to slam into the wall.

"Thought you could win, eh? Well, I'm about to teach you a lesson, bitch-"

"_That's enough_." A soft, but dangerous voice reached the gang leader's ears, cutting him off. He turned around, and gasped- he was less than an inch close to a fury-filled face, brown eyes narrowed dangerously.

"Ah~ This is so pointless, _da_? But looks like we will be taking part in this for a little while." Ivan said, cheerfully, walking up towards them. Antonio raised a fist and smashed it directly into the leader's.

He was touched by the drive Arthur had- so he'd help the boy. Ivan was joining in because he had been missing out on some action lately. Ah, reasons, such pointless things.

"GET THEM!" The woman hollered, mashing her boobs on the front of the gang leader's chest as she dragged him back. Was that supposed to make him feel better...?

And Ivan brandished a water tap- or a pipe, as he preferred to call it. Antonio preferred to use his fists, much like Arthur. The Russian smashed his weapon brutally against head after head, ignoring the cries of pain and the red that dirtied his once clean pipe.

Antonio punched faces, stomachs and even threw one gang member over the rail, causing him to land on the table, much like the French man had done so earlier. However, Arthur could hardly keep up; his forehead still throbbing from the blow earlier. He could already feel the warm trickle of blood down his temple.

Ivan sighed. This was getting boring.

"THE COPS ARE COMIN'!" A lookout ran into the restaurant, waving his arms frantically. The whole room froze for a moment.

Then, the gang members started to panic, and dashed out of the back entrance, leader and his woman forgotten. Arthur, Ivan and Antonio followed them, not wanting to be caught up and taken in for questioning.

Stopping at a deserted alleyway, Arthur leaned against a wall for support, but then felt someone lift him gently, into a pair of muscular arms. He looked up into the eyes of Ivan, which were surprisingly calm.

"Just rest, Arthur. Tell us where you live, so we will take you there."

Ah, so that was it. Ivan just wanted to know where his brother and himself resided. Giving in, Arthur finally told them the address.

oOo

Arthur fumbled with the keys to the apartment, but finally managed to open the door.

He was half-tempted to slam the door behind the two other officers; but since they had saved his sorry ass, he had no choice. He was a gentleman, after all, despite what people said otherwise.

"Would you like anything to drink?" Arthur offered hesitatingly.

This earned him a shove from Antonio, who looked annoyed. "No, we need to get a first-aid kit. Honestly _amigo_, being polite while bleeding all over the floor is not something you should do."

Ivan then yanked the doors of the medical cabinet open, taking both the hinges off it with a loud crack.

"I found it~ Yay!" The Russian cheered for himself, brushing off Arthur and Antonio's incredulous look. After Arthur got his head bandaged by a very huffy Spaniard, he decided it was time to tell them to leave.

"Look, I'm extremely grateful for all your help- but I'm afraid I can't tell you anything about my brother. He never told me a single thing." Arthur stated, leaning back into the sofa.

"Oh? Then I'm sure you wouldn't mind if we searched through his room, eh?" Antonio challenged. Ivan merely smiled- but that smile clearly showed that he wasn't about to take 'no' for an answer after all the trouble he went through.

The Brit stayed silent, contemplating.

...

"... Fine. But only under my supervision. If you open or take anything without my consent, then it's a crime; breaking and entering!" Arthur snapped.

This seemed to be a good enough answer for the officers.

Arthur opened the door to his brother's room. It was clean, bed made, desk tidy and the shelves filled with books. Antonio began to search under the bed while Ivan opened the closet, and began to dig around Scott's clothes.

The younger Kirkland brother sat on a chair at the edge of the room, quietly observing the two.

And then; Ivan found something.

"Looks like your brother isn't as innocent as you think, _da_?" The Russian said, shoving a coat into Arthur's hands.

But it wasn't any old coat.

This coat was soaked in blood.


	2. Chapter 2

**Otaku's Note: **Yay, I got two awesome reviews! **:)** Haha, reviews, advice and support is what keeps me going. Maybe a little added pressure too- but oh well. Anyways, I sincerely hope that I don't sound noobish when describing the fight scenes. I'm more of a romance writer, if you know what I mean.

Ehehehe. This is more of a fluffy chapter and a filler. Not much violence- I hope you won't be bored.

**Warning(s): **Yaoi/BL/Shounen-Ai, Violence, Crime

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><p><strong>Gunned Down<br>**Chapter 2

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><p>Arthur clutched the jacket in his shaking hands, trying not to scream.<p>

"W-What...?" The Brit couldn't believe his eyes. Why the hell was there _blood_ on Scott's jacket? His brother had left the house for about 3 months ago, and he had never returned during that period of time.

Arthur _saw_ his brother wearing this jacket as he left- he never went anywhere without it. So what was it doing back here? And in this condition...

"... You really don't know anything, do you?" Antonio asked, leaning back on Scott's bed.

Arthur shook his head, collapsing on the floor and holding Scott's bloodstained jacket to his chest. Ivan was staring at him with an unreadable emotion in his eyes, while Antonio's were filled with pity.

"Don't look at me like that," Arthur hissed at Antonio, who did a double take. "I'm going to find Scott. Then we'll set things straight."

Standing up, Ivan began to clap.

"Well said, _da _Antonio? I admire your fire... and I have a proposition for you. Both of you, actually. I'll need all the help I can get."

Arthur eyed the tall Russian suspiciously, and Antonio folded his arms.

"What proposition?" Antonio asked.

"You two are aware of how I got demoted, _da_? Well. I am sorry to say, Arthur, that your deductions were false." Ivan smiled as he watched Arthur's expression change from suspicion to confusion.

"But that's what the superiors told us! Why in grim's name would they have a need to lie to us?" Arthur challenged, holding his gaze with Ivan's chilling one. Then, Ivan chuckled, ruffling Arthur's hair.

The Brit didn't dare push him away.

"Indeed. What... reason would they have, you say? A very good one. The man I killed... his name was John Damerson, _da_?"

Both other occupants in the room nodded, well aware of this. The man had been an excellent scientist- although he had been a little shy. Well... more than just a _little_, actually. He barely said two words to anyone, and was afraid of his own shadow.

"He was a coward. Smart, but a coward all the same." Arthur deduced.

Antonio's eyes suddenly widened. Arthur stared at Ivan's smiling face (fake, of course. There was no mistaking the malice behind those light purple eyes) and Antonio's shocked expression.

Then, he noticed a contradiction.

"... You 'killed' him because he told you that you weren't allowed to wear a scarf during work? But why would he do that; he barely had the balls to talk to the cleaning lady down the hall-"

"-And he would most definitely not have the courage to tell me what to do, _da_? You are very right, Arthur. He would not. In fact- he never did. There's one thing that I will not deny, and _that is_ in fact, I _did_ kill John."

Arthur's posture stiffened and Antonio narrowed his eyes. But Ivan wasn't finished.

"But not for the reason you think. I may be intimidating, and I do frighten people. But even someone as overbearing as me is not petty enough to kill someone over telling me what not to wear during my working hours, my dear comrades."

"So why," Arthur began. "So why did you kill him?"

There was pause, and Ivan hesitated on whether to continue. Antonio and Arthur's insistent gazes took away any of his doubts, though.

"Because... he was part of the Mafia. The very same one that your brother was supposed to be keeping track of, Arthur. And those bank robbers who killed your lover," Ivan turned his gaze onto the Spaniard, watching the latter's face pale. "They were under their instruction."

The Brit gasped. He quickly covered his mouth- but he couldn't believe it! How was it that all these crimes were connected? And for Ivan to be demoted for something such as this... wasn't it supposed to be the other way around?

"John had been in contact with the Mafia throughout the whole year. He had been forging evidence for their court cases. I overheard him talking to one of them during break one day. You two should have heard him... he sounded... different. More rougher. More dangerous. He noticed me, though, and he turned around with his gun aimed to shoot me. But I got to him first." Ivan recalled, tapping his forehead slightly.

"... Didn't you repeat this story to your superiors, _idiota_?" Spain questioned incredulously. "They would've believed you! Just check the records on the phone and you've got your evidence-"

"Do not take me for a fool, _Fernandez_. Of course I told them. I even showed them the call records of the mobile phone. But they did not believe me. In fact... it was almost like I was _ignored_. The Chief of Police stripped me of my position, and so, here I am now."

"Blimey." Arthur muttered. This was a lot to take in.

Ivan flopped down on the floor besides Arthur, observing him. "You do not have to believe me now, Arthur. But I want you and Antonio to listen to what I have in mind."

The Spaniard raised his eyebrows.

"Yes, yes, amigo. Go ahead and say it. We're all listening." He drawled, somewhat sarcastically.

"... Very well. I would like for the two of you to join me in hunting down the mafia. By ourselves, free from our superior's orders and the ties of the law."

A shocked silence could almost be felt. Then Arthur snapped.

"Are you _crazy_? D'you realize that pulling a crazy stunt like this could land us in jail? It's going against the rules! One of the most important rules of Police Conduct, you scoundrel!" Arthur yelled. Antonio seemed to be saying something along the same lines; though it was all in Spanish, and there seemed to be a few swear words inserted in, too.

Ivan merely smiled. "Do you want to find your brother or not?" He said to Arthur, who suddenly became silent- and thoughtful. "And do you not want to get revenge from those who took your beloved away from you?" Antonio became eerily calm.

Shaking his head, the Russian got up.

"It is late. If you do not mind, Arthur, I will be sleeping on your couch tonight. I will be awaiting your answer tomorrow." Without waiting - or caring - for Arthur's approval, Ivan walked out of the room, leaving the other two to their thoughts.

"You believe him, _amigo_?" Antonio asked, turning to face Arthur.

The Brit merely shook his head. "I'm afraid I'll have to think about this. You may stay here for the night- I'm sure that Ivan will be wanting to hear your answer as well."

The Spaniard nodded, giving Arthur a smile and a quick 'thank you', before the Brit left the room. Ivan was already deposited on the sofa that Scott had picked out for their apartment, his coat, scarf and shoes removed. The Russian was wearing a beige colored V-neck under the knee-length coat, and Arthur admired the way the tight cloth hugged that fine, muscular body-

He restrained the urge to slap himself.

Arthur retreated to his room and pulled off his clothes, leaving him only in his boxers and undershirt. He yawned, and flopped onto the bed, too tired to do anything else.

Careful not to dislodge his head bandage, he laid down gently, eyelids getting heavier by the second.

And he fell into a deep sleep.

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><p>The sun glared through the clear windows of Arthur's apartment. It was nicely decorated; Ivan had only just noticed. There was a plasma television on the middle of the sitting room, and a carved coffee table out of oak in between it and the sofa he was lying on.<p>

Deciding that it was time to 'rise and shine', Ivan got up and stretched his muscles, which were feeling rather sore after someone had pummeled him from the back during yesterday's fight.

Not wanting to wake Antonio up and swatted at, he decided to wake Arthur first. The Englishman was still a little intimidated by him, and would not make a fuss if awoken by Ivan, unlike the grumpy Spaniard, who now held a slight grudge against him thanks to the night before. Ivan liked that- he felt in control when people feared and felt inferior to him.

But it could get pretty lonely, too.

Not bothering to knock, Ivan pushed the door open. The room was very tidy- save for a pair of pants and a white button down shirt thrown carelessly onto the floor. Arthur himself was on the bed, curled up under a duvet.

Moving closer, Ivan was about to shake him awake- when Arthur _whimpered_.

... Was he crying? The platinum blonde could not help but notice the tears pooling at the edges of those long, golden lashes. Reaching out, Ivan gently rubbed the sleeping man's cheek.

Arthur leaned into the touch, become silent once more. Ivan retracted his hand; but the Brit made a small choking noise at the warmth moving away.

"... Don't go..." Arthur said hoarsely, eyes closed.

'_He must be dreaming of his brother_.' Ivan thought, getting a chair and placing it on the side of the bed. He pulled the covers tighter over the other's shivering body and placed his hand on Arthur's.

Having no idea why he was being so affectionate, Ivan leaned in closer and gave an experimental peck on the lips to Arthur.

Something warm bubbled inside of him.

Ah, he knew this would happen- after seeing the way Arthur had confronted the gang leader the night before, those beautiful green eyes and the bold way he fought back...

Ivan felt something. Something pleasant. And back in the alleyway, when he had seen the Brit so weak and unstable, he had immediately swept him into his arms, wanting to hold him forever and not let go, to protect him.

... He really needed to talk to Katyusha, his older sister, about these feelings. They were confusing him.

So Ivan decided to let Arthur sleep, for a little while more.

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><p>Groaning, Arthur sat up groggily. What time was it?<p>

"_Buenos días, amigo_. You have to wake up now; Ivan wants to know both of our answers." Antonio said, kind brown eyes the first thing Arthur saw. The Brit nodded, shooing the Spaniard out of his room so he could freshen up.

Taking a quick, cold shower in his bathroom, he slipped on a pair of jeans and a black T-shirt with the _KoRn!_ insignia on it. He wasn't in the mood to wear his stuffy vests today- these felt much more comfortable.

Walking out into the living room, he was pleasantly surprised by the _Subway_ takeout bags that littered his dining table.

"My treat." Antonio simply stated, as he chewed happily on his sandwich, and Ivan nibbled on his, distractedly reading the morning newspaper. Giving a quick 'thanks' to the brunet, Arthur flopped down on the armchair near to the glass windows.

He turned his gaze onto Ivan, who seemed to notice him staring. He stared back, and folded his newspaper neatly, placing it on the table.

"Have you two decided?" The Russian asked seriously.

Antonio did not say anything, and instead- he turned to Arthur, waiting for his answer. His look clearly showed that he would see what Arthur's answer was before deciding. The blonde was good at reading people- he'd be able to tell whether Ivan was being sincere or not, as he did not feel any amount of prejudice towards the man, unlike himself.

"... I accept." Arthur said. Ivan smiled happily, then turned to Antonio, who sighed.

"Yes, I accept."

Ivan placed his hands together in glee, his childish charisma back to normal. He stood up, and headed for the dining room, then opened an empty shelf. Or at least, Arthur _thought_ is was empty.

The platinum blonde pulled out a metallic suitcase, and set it onto the table. He entered the password combination, and the top popped open. Opening it and turning it around to face the brunet and Briton, Ivan giggled at the shocked expressions on their faces.

"T-those! Those firearms! They were banned from the country about one year ago!" Arthur exclaimed. "How did you-"

Ivan made a shushing motion with his finger.

"Do not ask something I do not want to answer, and you will not know something that you do not want to know." He said mysteriously. "These are... helpful accessories for our journey. I had my younger sister deliver this to us early this morning, while the both of you were still asleep."

"... You expect us to use these?" Antonio said skeptically, holding the finely made weapon in his hand. It was rather heavy, but in a good way. It made him feel protected, and well-prepared. He could see why Ivan had chosen this specific model, even if it had been banned.

"_Da_. We are not under orders from the top now- I do not see why we should not."

Arthur gulped.

Just what had he gotten himself into? And all for Scott, too.

'_Wanker... you'd better be alive and well when I find you... I'm going to kick your ass from here to England!'_


	3. Chapter 3

**Otaku's Note: **I'm thankful for the number of reviews I've received, as well as the approval of my school-otakus! Haha, and I hope you find this journey as exciting as I do. Give me any suggestions if you want, I'll see if I can work it into the plot.

But no promises though! And I should be studying for the EOY exams anyway... Ehehe.

* * *

><p><strong>Gunned Down<br>**Chapter 3

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><p>The trio walked towards Ivan's car, a PEUGOT 4009. There was plenty of room to seat five people comfortably, but since there were only three of them, they had more space to spare.<p>

"I have upgraded the car, and increased the speed of it. Thanks to my lovely sister Katyusha... I hope that the two of you won't get too uncomfortable if I speed, _da_?"

Somehow, that didn't make Antonio or Arthur feel any better. The Brit loaded the clothing and more personal supplies into the boot, packing enough for Antonio, thanks to Scott's huge selection of clothing.

Ivan had already packed his own- it turns out that he would have gone to hunt the Mafia down anyway; even if he had to do it himself.

The guns were stored in a hidden compartment at the backseat, and where Antonio would be sitting. Arthur would be seated at the front with Ivan, as the navigator. The Russian was most insistent that he be the driver at all times. He didn't trust anyone other than him or his sisters to drive his beloved car.

"Okay, we're all set. Now tell us, _amigo_. Where to?" Antonio asked cheerily. Ivan smiled, and he too, turned his gaze to Arthur.

Feeling the pressure set on him, the latter sighed.

"He said he was going to New Jersey. Probably Atlantic City. We can be there in about one day; just take the main expressway." Arthur instructed.

Nodding his approval, Ivan started the engine, and smoothly drove the vehicle out of the parking lot of Arthur and Scott's condo.

oOo

Frowning at the map, Antonio took a sip of his coffee and gagged, tempted to spit it out once more.

"_¡Dios mío_... this tastes horrible! Lovino made the best cappuccinos-" Antonio stopped dead, and grit his teeth. Ivan raised his eyebrows, while Arthur placed a hand on Antonio's shoulder in compassion.

"Don't bother thinking about it, git. It hurts more if you do." Arthur advised, his expression looking pained for a moment, before it vanished. Ivan observed the exchange between his two companions carefully.

There was more to Arthur than he knew... and he wanted to find out.

It was three in the morning when they reached the Atlantic Hotel, sleepy and stiff from the long ride. They checked into their room, thankful that the hotel staff had remembered to set-up a temporary camping bed at the side, lest one of them had to sleep on the floor.

"We will begin looking for your brother the day after tomorrow, _da_? Meanwhile, we will use the whole of tomorrow to trace down Arthur's brother using his mobile number- I have Kiku Honda from the Locating and Intel department assisting us." Ivan said, sitting down on the bed nearest to the wall.

Impressed with Ivan's skill to think ahead, he claimed the middle bed, leaving the one closest to the window to Antonio, who flopped onto it and wriggled happily into the soft duvet.

"Yeah. That sounds great... but I will be going to sleep now. _Buenas noches_." And the Spaniard turned over, cuddling a pillow and pulling the duvet over himself. Arthur yawned, mumbling a quick 'goodnight' to the both of them, lying down onto the mattress and feeling his eyelids grow heavier.

The last thing he saw was Ivan's violet eyes staring at him from across the room.

"Cпокойной ночи..." Ivan said, watching the Brit until he fell asleep. The Russian turned over to face his side of the wall, and allowed himself to rest.

For now.

* * *

><p>Kiku quietly maneuvered through the silent hallways of the Intel department.<p>

He knew that he had to help Ivan Braginski... no... he _wanted_ to help Ivan. After all, he was going to be tracking down the Mafia who took away his brother and sister, Kaoru and Mei.

They would go down. Kiku would make sure of it, along with Ivan, and his newly appointed 'comrades'.

Seating himself at a computer, Kiku switched it on and patiently waited for it to start. As soon as it did, he clicked on the _Tracking Hound_ icon, and entered the mobile number of Arthur Kirkland's older brother, Scott Kirkland.

There was a momentary pause, as the locater hovered around the mini-layout of New Jersey, Atlantic City. '_Well, at least Arthur got the location right,_' Kiku thought to himself.

And then the computer let out a beeping sound- the locator had stopped on the _Atlantic City Aquarium_. That was odd.

"But I'd better inform Branginski-san..." Japan said quietly to himself.

He flipped open his Sony Ericsson mobile and typed in the information to Ivan, snapping it shut. He felt pleased with himself, being able to do this without getting caught-

"Kiku?"

... He had spoken too soon.

The Japanese man wearily turned around to face his superior, Ludwig Beilschmidt. He had a disapproving expression on, and Japan tried not to buckle and confess under that cold and harsh glare.

"Er... General Beilschmidt... I was just... checking my Facebook." Kiku finished lamely, wringing his hands nervously behind his back.

The German narrowed his eyes, and took three big steps to the Japanese man, stopping inches in front of him. Kiku's eyebrow twitched. He did not like this- he valued personal space, ever since that weirdo Feliciano glomped him during work a few years ago...

He was scarred for life.

"Do not lie to me, Kiku. I know you were helping Braginski. What is he up to?" Ludwig barked.

"Eh... h-he was..."

"Spit it out!"

Another pair of footsteps could be heard. Ludwig and Kiku froze, hearing them coming closer. The frosted doors opened once again, and this time, an even bigger surprise appeared.

"Chief Roma?" General Ludwig and Kiku bowed in respect for the man who had the highest authority in the force. Said man laughed, walking over to them, a bright smile on his face.

"My, my, Ludwig. What are you doing in the office at this time of night? You too, Mr. Honda, care to tell me the reason?" The brunet said, his smile growing bigger, the white teeth almost blinding Ludwig and Kiku.

"... I was just asking Kiku to help me check a few documents about a recent murder case. I hope you don't mind, sir." Ludwig said, straight-faced.

Laughing, Chief Roma clapped his hands together.

"Always working hard, aren't you, Ludwig? A promotion might be coming your way! And you too, Mr. Honda! But I will have to bid you two goodnight now, it is rather late, and I want to be heading home now." Roma said, stretching his back.

"Of course, sir. Goodnight."

"_Oyasuminasai_, Roma-sama."

The two lower-ranking officers bid their superior goodbye, and watched his back until he left the room, closing the door behind him. Then Ludwig turned to Kiku, eyes narrowed once more.

"You will tell me what you were doing, Kiku. _Right now_." Ludwig ordered with his best 'do not fuck with me or something very bad will happen' voice.

The Intel agent then knew he had no choice. He just hoped that Ivan Braginski wouldn't kill him for this.

* * *

><p>Entering the ballroom of the hotel, the three men found a nice spot near the huge windows with a magnificent view of the sea.<p>

"If we weren't on this wild goose chase... I'd actually be enjoying myself." Arthur said, his hand clenched around his teacup. Antonio sighed, silently agreeing with him. Sure, they knew that Scott was going to Atlantic City... but that was months before, and maybe he had left by now-

"This is _not_ a wild goose chase, Arthur. I already located your brother." Ivan said, smiling.

Arthur's eyes widened.

"What? You scoundrel! Why didn't you tell me sooner?" Arthur exclaimed incredulously. Antonio merely glared at the Russian, not bothering to say anything.

"Aw, do not be angry with me, comrade Arthur! I just received the information this morning, around four. You cannot blame me for not wanting to wake you both, _da_?" He said, twirling the end of his scarf in his fingers.

Swallowing any other insults he would have loved to spit at Ivan, he leaned back in his seat.

"So talk, _amigo_. Where is the older Kirkland?" Antonio asked, munching on the cornflakes he had picked from the breakfast buffet table.

"I had a friend from the Intel division locate him- it appears that he is in the Aquarium a few streets from this hotel. A convenient coincidence, _da_?" Ivan said, pleased that Arthur's information had been accurate.

"Yes, that's good. But since we have already located him, what will we be doing for the rest of the day?"

Ivan shrugged, enjoying the pleasant scent of bacon and scrambled eggs on his plate. It was less tasty than what Katyusha or Natalia made for him when he visited them, but it was good enough, he supposed.

"We could explore the area for a bit. Get a feel of our surroundings." Arthur suggested.

Antonio nodded, scratching his chin. "Good suggestion, _amigo_. What about checking out the boardwalk? It's a popular attraction here. They sell many cheap souvenirs!" The Spaniard said happily.

"We're on a _mission_- not on vacation, you bloody twat!" Arthur snapped, glaring at Antonio, who smiled sheepishly. Ivan smiled.

They got up, satisfied from the filling breakfast, and headed for the car. Ivan drove towards the boardwalk, parking his car near a 7-11 convenience store, and for once, Arthur was glad he was wearing flip-flops.

It wasn't exactly comfortable to be wearing a sweater vest and loafers on a boardwalk, and he was happy he had the sense to pack some casual attire.

"You see those speedboats parked near the dock? There is a tunnel leading to the tip of the boardwalk from the Aquarium. I am going through the layout of the venue to find more escape routes." Antonio said, reading something from his iPad.

Ah, illegal information exchange. Ivan approved of this.

"... But after getting onto the speedboat, _where_ are we supposed to go exactly? And that is, _if_ we manage to make it that far." The Brit said skeptically, feeling cold all of a sudden.

"Do not feel afraid, _amigo_. We have nothing to lose. You're in this to find your brother, eh? I'm sure you'll be able to find him if you just-"

Arthur clenched his fists, and started to shiver. "_T-that's just it_!" Arthur cried, anxious green eyes focused on Ivan and Antonio. "I don't even know if Scott's still _alive_! He could've have been killed by the bloody mafia _months_ ago!"

Antonio faltered, managing to sympathize with the Brit. He knew how losing someone was like... his dear, sweet Lovino didn't deserve to die. Well, he was violent, and tended to manhandle Antonio on several special occasions... but it was his way of showing his love, his way of showing that he cared. And what the fucking Mafia did... to take Lovino away from him...

The Spaniard swore that he'd hunt down every single one of those men who killed his love, torture them slowly, and kill them off one by one, with a rather blunt knife. Or a poker.

'_I wonder when I got so descriptive_.' Antonio thought to himself, bringing his thoughts away from the bad and back to reality. Arthur looked as though he was about to have a mental breakdown.

This wasn't good- people were starting to stop and watch.

.

.

.

"**Is there a problem?**"

A cold and chilling voice made Antonio look over to the Russian, the latter glaring at the passers-by with malice. The Brit merely whimpered softly and looked out towards the waters. Ivan increased his glare by a fraction, and the observers scattered.

Well, at least there was a proper use for Ivan's talent of intimidation.

"I'm sorry for... saying those things. I shouldn't be showing any weaknesses right now." Arthur apologized softly, his sad gaze concentrated on his shoes.

Antonio smiled, and pulled a stunned Arthur into a bear-hug, nuzzling his nose in the Brit's soft hair. "It's alright, _amigo_, you don't have to apologize. It's not wrong to be afraid, or worried. Just believe in yourself and me and Ivan, and we'll make it through, _comprender_?" The brunet said comfortingly.

Slowly, Arthur nodded. And he hugged Antonio back.

Ivan cold stare didn't affect the warmth they felt.

* * *

><p>"Tomorrow's the day." Arthur said, staring up at the ceiling.<p>

Antonio was in the shower while Arthur was already on the bed, preparing to sleep. Ivan was polishing his pipe, something he took great pride in. You could see your reflection in the handle. Really.

"_Da_, it is. You are still up for it, right Arthur?" Ivan said, startling the Brit out of his daze. The latter nodded, not wanting the Russian to doubt him in any way, because despite what had happened earlier, and whether or not Scott was still alive... he wanted answers.

And sitting on his ass back home was not going to get him any.

Ivan placed his pipe down on the marble table with a soft '_clack_', and moved over to the bed where Arthur was seated. He did something rather unexpected; he drew Arthur into a hug, much like how Antonio had done so earlier.

The Brit sputtered and blushed, not believing what was happening. "W-what the bloody hell are you doing!" Arthur exclaimed, trying to push the large man away from him, but to no avail.

"Hm... I can see why Antonio did this. It feels nice, _da_?" Ivan said cheerfully. Nobody hugged him except for Katyusha and Natalia. But Katyusha's breasts got in the way of a full-arm's embrace, and Natalia hugged him so tightly that it felt as though his ribs were being crushed.

But this... this was different. Arthur was small - _so much smaller than him_ - and very warm and comforting. Plus, he smelled nice. Much like the tea he loved, mixed pleasantly with shower gel.

Ivan felt his eyelids beginning to drop. Hugging in such a pleasant way and on such a soft bed was making him feel rather drowsy. The Russian leaned down on Arthur's bed, pulling the latter down with him.

"What're you-"

"Quiet. We shall sleep now." Ivan's firm tone reserved no room for argument. The Brit stiffened, but rested his head on Ivan's muscular arm, willing his emerald eyes to close.

They drifted off to sleep, in each other's arms.

.

.

.

Antonio stepped out of the shower, a towel wrapped around his head, and clad in a comfortable T-shirt and jogging pants.

He was very surprised to see Arthur and Ivan cuddled up together on the same bed. He didn't intend to wake them- both Arthur and Ivan were cranky and dangerous enough while they were fully awake... Antonio didn't want to know what they were like when they had been forcefully awoken from their sleep.

So instead, the Spaniard pulled the duvet over their bodies, and flopped down on his own bed, hugging his pillow tightly. An cold emptiness lingered in his heart.

_Dios_... he missed Lovino.


	4. Chapter 4

**Otaku's Note: **Wow I fucking suck for not updating. Haha, completely missed this story, but I re-read what I wrote and found the motivation to complete chapter 4. Anyway, enjoy! And yeah, someone (can't remember who it was) asked me about whether or not Romano's alive.

He's dead. I already said so... so yeah.

**Warning(s): **Yaoi/BL/Shounen-Ai, Angst, Drama

**Disclaimer: **Hetalia belongs to Hidekaze Himuraya-sensei!

* * *

><p><strong>Gunned Down<br>**Chapter Four

* * *

><p>Arthur stepped out of the car, stretching his legs. Ivan and Antonio followed, though in a less obvious way.<p>

The youngest Kirkland was dressed in a black shirt and skinny jeans, a brown coat over the whole ensemble, effectively hiding the firearms he had stowed away at the sides of his hips and under his arms.

Ivan wore his usual scarf and a beige V-neck sweater and jeans. How Ivan hid _his_ guns I will not be able to tell you; cause then I'd be shot to death by him instead, followed by the whole lot of you reading this.

Antonio wore an olive-green button up shirt and black dress pants- with combat boots. He only held one firearm, opting for a set of daggers he hid under his shirt. He preferred to fight the traditional way, rather than risk dislocating his arm due to the backfire of those dangerous guns Ivan brought in.

"Remember not to gain any attention from the general public; the last thing we need is for General Beilschimidt to realise what we're up to." Arthur whispered as they entered the building and joined the queue for their tickets.

Antonio nodded, while Ivan merely smiled mysteriously.

Getting their tickets from the cashier, they handed them over to the usher, who stamped their hands and opened the gate for the three men. Stepping into the cooler interior of the aquarium, Arthur took a moment to admire the different specibus of fish and sea-creatures trapped in the glass enclosures.

"Do not get distracted, _amigo_. We have to get to the storerooms below here as quickly as possible." Antonio hissed, nudging the Brit in the side. Arthur scowled, and shoved him back.

Chuckling, Ivan turned his eyes to his iPad, affectionately dubbed _VodkaR_. The red beeping dot represented where Scott Kirkland's phone was. Strange though- even though it was located in the Storage Room in general, the dot hadn't moved an inch. Had Scott Kirkland dropped it?

But the battery of the phone was still a good 56%. It couldn't have been too long since he had left it there. Either that, or Scott Kirkland was knocked out cold on the floor with his cellphone still attached on his being, explaining why the red dot hadn't moved since then.

They approached the D-Block of the aquarium; where the sharks were.

"Now these are interesting." Arthur muttered, admiring the razor-sharp teeth poking out from a Great White's mouth. Once again, Antonio nudged him in the side; but Arthur didn't retaliate this time.

"Through here." Ivan said, manoeuvring through the crowds of tourists and families. They stopped in front of a steel door, glazed blue to match the theme of the sea.

It was locked. Arthur cursed in Gaelic.

"We don't have a cardkey! Are we supposed to break the door down in the presence of the public?" Arthur said, exasperated. Antonio sighed, and was about to lift his leg to kick it down, when Ivan laughed.

"Foolish. Of course I knew it would be locked... that's why I had this made." Ivan produced an orange coloured card from his pocket. It had the numbers **551-67029** printed on it, as well as the letters **J.E.E.B.**, confusing Arthur and Antonio even more.

"Jeeb? What the fuck is a Jeeb?" Antonio demanded.

"You will find out in time. I won't reveal all my contacts to you just yet." The Russian said, smiling. Ah, so Jeeb was a person? A codename perhaps? In any case, Arthur made a mental note to find out who this Jeeb person was; because the door clicked open the moment Ivan swiped it over the detector.

"It can open any electrically locked door." Ivan said, smugly tucking the card back into his pocket.

The three men quickly entered the once-locked door, and shut it behind them.

Finding themselves in a seriously cold hallway, they walked down the damp hallway. Why was the floor so damp? Understandably, this was an aquarium, but wasn't this supposed to be a storeroom-

Wait.

"Ivan... what's the _full_ name for the storeroom?" Arthur said, raising his eyebrows as he stepped in something rather green and gooey. Fuck, he sure hoped it wasn't someone's nasal fluid.

Ugh. He had enough of that shit whenever Scott got sick.

"Hm... let's see. It's _Ectobiological Storage Room_." Ivan said, tucking away his iPad once more and tilting his head curiously to the side. "Why?"

Arthur scowled, while Antonio shook his head.

"You wanker! Then the temperature of this place would be freezing; this is where they keep all the recently transported marine animals from overseas! They're mainly from Northern Canada or the Arctic, so the temperature in here would be below zero degrees!"

"... And?"

"And we're going to FREEZE TO DEATH." Arthur growled, jabbing Ivan in the chest with a finger. The Russian stared blankly ahead for a moment. Then he made a cute little sound of realization.

"Oh! Haha, sorry about that. Forgive me, _da_?" Ivan said, smiling. Antonio growled in frustration while Arthur's eyebrows came together in what was supposed to be an intimidating frown.

It didn't really have much effect on the Russian though.

"_Nyet_! Now we're going to have to leave and come back again! D'you how much trouble it is and how much time we're going to waste-"

Before Ivan had a chance to admire the way Arthur spoke his native language, they were rudely interrupted by a blast of cold water that came down on all three of them, soaking them to the skin.

"What the hell." Antonio stated.

The three of them subconsciously moved away from the spot from where the water had dropped on them, looking up. There was a hole in the ceiling, connected to a series of pipes. So that's why the hallway was so wet- that's where the overflow of water went... onto the floor.

How thoughtful.

"We should go. We're not going to last long in this temperature; completely drenched too." Arthur said, sighing. They headed for the door.

* * *

><p>"Boss, they're here. I think they're looking for Scott Kirkland."<p>

A man puffed on his cigar and laughed, his face hidden in the shadows. He regarded his underling with obvious distaste, instead choosing to stare at the intricate breeds of sea-creatures swimming around him in the class enclosures. Bringing a fist down onto the steel-plated desk, it dented from the impact of the man's strong fist.

His underling winced and swallowed. _Hard_.

"Well, get rid of them. I don't want loose ends."

The underling nodded, bowing respectfully.

"As you wish, sir!"

* * *

><p>A loud bang interrupted Antonio's train of thought. Ivan and Arthur halted in their steps as well, exchanging puzzled looks.<p>

"_Dios mio. _Did you hear that?" The brunet asked, moving closer to the right side of the wall where they heard the thump. Cracks were slowly appearing, like something was busting through it... towards them.

Ivan yanked both Antonio and Arthur to the left as a fist smashed_ through_ the fucking wall, almost hitting them. Thank god Ivan had pulled them to the side, or they'd be bloodier than _Grandmama Fernandez_'s pig intestine stew.

Coughing slightly, the Spaniard squinted at the dust cloud that had appeared from the rubble.

A figure stood there, not totally visible through the thick layer of white that concealed him. But Antonio somehow knew- this person was not an ally.

"Get ready to fight."


End file.
